French Defense Ministry Seeks Funding for Tigers

The French Defense Ministry’s draft for the upcoming military budget law has reached the government review level. The document sets program funding for military spending in 2009. If the 32-billion euro ($40.8 billion) budget is approved, 17 billion euros ($21.7 billion) will be spent on eight new Eurocopter AS665 Tiger attack helicopters, as well as 14 Rafale jet fighters and 96 armored vehicles.  Another portion is expected to go to maintaining the Tigers, which costs 8,000 euros ($10,000) per hr to operate. Tigers are currently seeing service in Afghanistan. For related news